Star Ocean III 2 :Working title:
by Iruja
Summary: In the aftermath of the destruction of Luther, what will become of the galaxy? A new story, and my version of a sequel that will feature new characters and some old ones! Updated 6.15.05
1. Prologue

_**Star Ocean: Till the End of Time 2**_

Prologue

_S.D. 772: Two weeks after the destruction of Luther, the Creator, six months after the Vendeen Conflict._

It was perhaps the greatest feeling in the world.

Fayt and Sophia dodged quickly to the side, avoiding the flood of people passing them by, searching frantically for their families that were awaiting their return. There was heavy mix of laughter and crying. Fayt felt both sadness and happiness in his heart as he watched—happiness as he watched the families become re-united, sadness when he thought about the families that didn't show up, knowing that their loved ones were never coming back.

"Oh Fayt, I'm so happy," Sophia said. Fayt nodded, but when he saw her skin color, he couldn't help but feel worried for her.

"Sophia, your turning pale! Are you tired? There were so many people you could barely sit! I'm sorry, I should've given you my place!" he said quickly. Sophia looked up at him and grinned, shaking her head.

"No, it's okay. I'm just a little tired."

"Fayt! Sophia!" a woman called.

Fayt turned his head down the long hallway of the star port, half unbelieving. Two women and one man, whom he recognized immediately, were running full speed toward them.

"Mom! Dad! Aunt Ryoko!" Sophia called. She turned to Fayt, whom raised an eyebrow. "Well come on, I can't wait for you forever!" She dashed for them. Fayt jerked once in surprise, then grinned to himself, chasing after her toward their parents.

"I'm so glad the two of you are okay!" Fayt's mother said, embracing him more tightly than he would've preferred.

"Yeah, mom…urg…we're…ack…okay, sheesh!" Fayt said, chuckling as she let go. She put a hand on his face and scanned him.

"Wow, you've grown, Fayt!" she said, half gasping. "And it's only been six months."

"Yeah, but it seems like it's been forever, neh?" Sophia's father said, smiling. For an old man, he looked relatively youthful, especially with his spiked orange-red hair.

"You two did it!…I…I…" Ryoko started saying before breaking into tears, hiding her mouth with her hand. Fayt and Sophia shook their heads.

"We understand, auntie," she said, still beaming. "It's over, and that's all that matters."

"We still don't expect you to forgive us…" Sophia's mother said.

"Mrs. Esteed," Fayt began, pausing. She looked at him, clearly nervous. "It was better than dying, that's for sure. Besides, we each only had to use it once. Well, Sophia more than me and Maria so…"

"How was Maria?" Mr. Esteed asked, interrupting. Fayt nodded.

"Good, s'far as I know," he replied. "She was happier than she had been in a while, but still the tough leader. I expect that she won't stop being a leader of some sort even since Quark disbanded."

"You'd make a good leader, Fayt," Sophia said brightly. He shook his head, turning slightly scarlet.

"Nah, I'm done with politics for a while," he said, making them all chuckle. Soon, the gate started to grow overcrowded, and they made their way for the transport ship outside.

"Well, Earth is destroyed," Mr. Esteed said sadly as they boarded the bright, white interior of the small ship and as they sat down. "Well, not the entire planet, mostly just cities. The population dropped from forty-five billion to about forty billion."

"What!" Fayt cried, wishing it weren't true. Mr. Esteed nodded gravely, his face sullen. The ship detached itself from the docking bay and set a course for the planet far below. Many people were talking excitedly.

"We're lucky it wasn't more, considering the fire-power of those Enforcers," Ryoko said. "The planetary shield took a huge hit from those things, but it managed to hold off as much off as much as it could."

"Right…" Sophia said, becoming upset. Fayt looked at her for a moment, then looked away, thinking to himself.

"We will be arriving on Hyda IV

The transporter soon passed through the atmosphere and began descending into the slightly damaged city and set down at another large gate. As they exit onto the metal platform, Fayt couldn't help but enjoy being back on a planet within the Federation. Ships reflecting the setting sun raced a few hundred yards away from them, the multicolored city lights and electronics blinking brightly. Amidst the circle of labeled transporters, Mr. Esteed pointed to the one that lead to the hotel he had booked—immediately, Fayt recognized it as the same numbered hotel as the one they had stayed at previously.

"It's almost like we're starting where we began…only not," Sophia said, trying to be optimistic. Fayt nodded, thinking about his father. _I'm sorry, dad…I'm glad that the universe wasn't deleted, but…I couldn't find a way to bring you back. Thanks,_ he prayed. Despite being atheist, now, especially since what occurred, he hoped that there was some kind of afterlife, where everyone who had died deserved to be. Since the whole experience, he couldn't help but wonder if it was even possible not to exist, that thought was an unstoppable phenomenon. So, as a result, he figured there was definitely a sort-of afterlife out there.

Fayt gazed outside his room's window toward the crystal-blue ocean, his thoughts escaping as he listened to the distant sound of the waves breaking on the sandy beach. _I could certainly use a vacation, that's for sure._

The door to his room beeped. He glanced out of the corner of his eye and said, "Come in!" It rushed upwards, revealing Sophia, dressed in a new shirt and jeans with a smoothie cup in her hand.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey, what's up?" Fayt asked. She walked over next to him and brushed strands of loose hair out of her eyes.

"I wonder if what we did is right…we destroyed the Creator…an unforgivable sin," she said slowly, looking up at him as she set down the cup.

"Sophia, why're you doubting yourself now?"

"Because…because…I don't know…it's just, it's been stuck on my mind for a while."

"You can't start doubting what we did and dwell on it!" Fayt said. Sophia shook her head.

"It's just that…well, it's a constant revolution. Righteousness, greed, violence, destruction, hope, life, death, heroes…it's a constant fact that history repeats itself, but this was nothing like that. It just seems…out of place," she said, her voice growing softer.

Fayt closed his eyes for a moment and thought about it. "Well, you can't dwell on the past, can you?" he asked her finally. He pulled out his Holy Blade, which he had gladly synthesized more orichalum into. He knew it wasn't the strongest sword, but it felt the most comfortable with him. "The only thing we _can _do is put it in the back of our minds and keep looking forward, right?"

Sophia smiled up at him. "Your right, sorry."

"What're you apologizing for?"

"Nothing, nevermind," she said. A single tear left her eye.

"Huh? What is it?"

"It's just when…when I think about everyone who died…it's sad. But I guess your right."

Fayt nodded, silent. The sun touched the horizon, painting the sky a deep orange color, mixing beautifully with the pure white clouds.

"Fayt?"

"Hm?"

"Thanks for everything…remember when you thought I was unhappy with you?" she laughed quickly. "That I was unhappy with my 'prince'?"

"Er…" Fayt grunted, sweat dropping. _Oh grea, I almost forgot about that embarassing little stunt_. "Yeah…"

"It was the first time anyone had said that to me, even if you didn't understand what I was talking about at Castle Aquaria. It made me very happy," she said. Fayt turned a bright scarlet.

"Sophia!" Fayt said, watching her come closer.

"I…I love you," she said. Fayt turned from scarlet to red, trying to stop it. Luckily, so was she. He smiled, relaxing.

"Me too," he said softly.

Her arms made her way around his neck, closing her eyes and moving towards his own. Still nervous but with new found courage, he kissed her, embracing her around her waist. He collapsed backward onto the couch with her on top, feeling a warmth he never known before.


	2. Chapter 1: Erasmus

Chapter 1

_October 4, 774 S.D._

Fai mumbled under his breath, the huge crate attempting to rip his arms out of their sockets. He made his way around a corner into another long corridor, the bright lights of the ship starting to annoy him.

"Stupid uniform, stupid crate," he muttered, daring to use one hand to itch at his lower back. The crate dropped on his foot and crashed loudly, making him shout and jump as the pain seared through him. The door nearest to him hissed open, where a young but severe-looking female officer stood, shaking her head at him.

"Be careful, Cadet! That's full of disruptor rifles, we wouldn't want it to explode and disintegrate the ship!" she scolded. Fai scowled, but stood straight and bowed and held it.

"Very sorry," he said, keeping his sarcasm undetectable. When she didn't catch it, she went back inside to her quarters. Fai pulled down his lower eyelid and stuck out his tongue for a moment and, limping slightly, carried the crate to each weapons cache hidden in the walls and propped them up as neatly as he could. Under his breath, he muttered, "Why I joined the Federation Fleet, I'll never know. I knew I was too desperate to travel around."

Fai Ishido, an orphan, was sixteen and new to the fleet. His foster parents was a nice couple and he liked them very much, but since he understood all that went on, he couldn't accept them as his new parents, especially since he had only lost his real parents two years earlier. They had been rather open-minded about letting him join the Federation now that he was of age—since he promised that he would continue schooling. He figured it would be better to get a job now, at least, and he also liked the idea of travel.

Being the fresh meat for the crew of the exploration ship _Erasmus_? Not so much.

He ran his fingers through his fine brown hair and sighed, throwing the crate back into a small storage room. He adjusted his white uniform and black slacks and made his way to the transporter to the bridge.

"Job done, sir," he said as he materialized. Standing with his back turned to him was Captain Leingod, who turned and smiled at him. Unlike most rather older captains, he was much younger with blue hair and shocking blue eyes, like Fai's. He motioned toward his seat near the left edge of the bridge.

"Take your seat, Cadet, and thank you," he said warmly. Fai nodded, sitting graciously in the low but comfortable seat. The computer hologram blipped on in front of him, showing the radar and computer statistics of the operations of the ship. He was only second engineer and didn't operate the machinery in the actual room, but he liked this much better. He was also a replacement fighter-pilot, but he had no experience outside of the simulations.

"Sir!" the Navigations Officer, a boy his age with blonde hair, said. "Federation Station #5 is within one-thousand kilometers! Send a docking request?"

"Of course," Leingod said. "It's been nearly two months since we left to explore that outer-rim, so I'm sure all of you are ready for a break, right?" There was an outcry of approval, and he smiled. "Good; I know I could. Good work, people." He repeated what he said onto the intercom.

Fai, grinning with relief, finished up the statisitics table, filed a report, then leaned back and stretched. They hadn't turned up much life on the outer rim of the Milky Way, and secretly agreed on the ship, Captain Leingod's visit to Elicoor II was kept secret, but he wished they could've gone too. Technically the planet was still considered underdeveloped, even though they now knew about their world's technology. The Federation reluctantly agreed to begin advancing them in very slow and orderly steps, but ordered those who weren't authorized to stay away for the timebeing.

After the ship docked, they all retreated into separate parts of the Station, nicknamed Moonbase. Captain Leingod immedietly went toward the research lab while all of them went toward the recreational area.

"Shame that he doesn't set some time aside to relax, eh?" one of his friends, Mary, said. Her hair was a short-blonde, tied back neatly into a ponytail.

"Yeah. You'd think a big hero like him would've taken a longer vacation," he said.

"I still can't believe Aldia was destroyed by the Executioners, not to mention damage most of our worlds," she said quickly.

"I'd rather forget it," Fai said flatly.

"I know, sorry."

Fai left her and went downstairs into a small refreshment bar, filled with soldiers from their own ship and some of them from others, chatting loudly. The lights were slightly dimmer and much warmer colored than the usual white or gray. A few plants with automatic-hydrators hovered in the corners. Fai took an empty bar chair and ordered a cola, which he drank happily. On the ship, the only thing they were allowd to have was water or tea, so it tasted like heaven.

"So, how's it goin' mini-Cadet?" one of the older officers with close-cut brown hair said loudly, looking at Fai.

"Great," he said, nodding.

"That's good," he replied clearly sarcastic, and looking around, making some of them laugh. Fai smirked and turned his head back toward the bar tender, shaking his head. One of the other officers grabbed his drink and poured a hot sauce in it.

"What the hell?" Fai shot at him. They jeered for a moment, and the entire bar became silent except for the other officers from different ships.

"Mm-mm, sure looks tasty!" the brown-haired officer said, shoving it back at him, making the others laugh again. Fai picked up the glass and drank the rest in one fell swoop. He managed to keep his disgust to a minimum and swallowed, making them all stare at him.

"Okay, now you try," Fai said, his mouth burning but managing to hide it. He bought another soda for five-hundred fol and poured generally the same amount. They all looked at him, surprised.

"Nice job, lad," one of them said, making them all laugh and pat him on the back, making him cough. The old man turned back the soda.

"I couldn't handle this if my life depended on it," he said, laughing, ruffling his hair. "Welcome to _Erasmus_! Ha ha!"

"Can I get some water now?" Fai choked.

"Ha ha, yeah!"

Fai dashed toward the water fountain and drank a lot, listening to the laughter. _Well, maybe this isn't too bad,_ he thought as he returned to his seat. _I'm still the newb though._

"Listen up!" came Leingod's voice. He exit the elevator and walked toward them. "_Erasmus _is heading to the Styx System in approximately three days. It's a neutral zone, and we're acting as ambassadors to the Telicoorians."

"What?" a young female officer said. "What for, Captain?"

"Hm…they're complaining about New Federation acts of breaking Interstellar Law, and are threatning to detach itself," he said, then sighed. "As if we need more stupid struggles."

"That sounds like a lame excuse, if you ask me," Fai said, wishing they could stay a little bit longer.

"Yeah, like the kid says, why are we even bothering?" the man he met earlier said. Fayt glanced at him, then shook his head.

"I don't know, but it seems like everything in our galaxy is still lost in a foggy swamp or something like that," he said, sounding and looking much older than he really was. But then, he suddenly smiled. "Well, brighter news is there's a circus performance going on tommorow in the auditorium by a friend of mine, courtesy of Moonbase." There was a series of nods, and everyone began dispersing, understanding that as a "you're-dismissed-even-though-you're-not-on-duty". Fai sighed, yawned, and went back to his quarters on-ship.


End file.
